Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors 01:14 - Sep 16 with 6213 views | Lord_Bony | I seriously think we re becoming an attractive proposition,especially after the recent performances and film exposure to go with it. The eyes of the footballing world are upon us and there is always big money looking to invest in profitable clubs. Our profile is higher than its ever been. Do you reckon we could attract some big outside investors now or in the future.? | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 01:19 - Sep 16 with 4211 views | kopperburgjack | Not at the moment, the gates arnt big enough in my opinion. Don't think a big investor would be too happy with 20k every other week. Although if we expand the stadium and keep doing well who knows! | |
| Win, draw or lose.. Jacks are on the booze
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 01:53 - Sep 16 with 4180 views | Lord_Bony | Good point,but surely with big investment there would be a drive for expansion of the stadium,cutting through the current problems associated with it. Because of our geographic position I realise we re not going to be like the N west or London clubs but there is still a good profit to be made from this club if it got taken up to the next level. An attractive proposition for some bored billionaires or Arab oil sheiks looking to buy an established Premier League club.Plenty of investment groups and syndicates worldwide too with some serious money could be potential candidates. | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 02:17 - Sep 16 with 4171 views | phact0rri | Don't sell Swansea short... I'd wager there is some money in being the Welsh standard in football... yes were no london beacon of the world. But I'd be one to say that not only can it bring money to the club, but it can also lift Swansea City as a... City. | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 02:54 - Sep 16 with 4140 views | DwightYorkeSuperstar | Any investment group big enough to buy us would undertake substantial research regarding the history of the club, the volatility of the fanbase and the current major shareholders. That would probably be enough to put most off. They know they'd never get the majority of the shares without offering silly money to Huw and co. I fully believe Huw and co could sell but like I said, it'd have to be silly amounts of money and no one would offer that. | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 03:04 - Sep 16 with 4146 views | Lord_Bony |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 02:54 - Sep 16 by DwightYorkeSuperstar | Any investment group big enough to buy us would undertake substantial research regarding the history of the club, the volatility of the fanbase and the current major shareholders. That would probably be enough to put most off. They know they'd never get the majority of the shares without offering silly money to Huw and co. I fully believe Huw and co could sell but like I said, it'd have to be silly amounts of money and no one would offer that. |
I m sure the number one priority of the board is the future of the club. If they thought a major investor would let us compete with the big boys for a consistent top six place and beyond then they would be in favour. As of yet we have nt been approached but that could change soon..why not..we re a profitable,debt free club with a good business model. | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 06:56 - Sep 16 with 4023 views | cyril |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 03:04 - Sep 16 by Lord_Bony | I m sure the number one priority of the board is the future of the club. If they thought a major investor would let us compete with the big boys for a consistent top six place and beyond then they would be in favour. As of yet we have nt been approached but that could change soon..why not..we re a profitable,debt free club with a good business model. |
absulutely we sell our club to mad potty malaysion, then fall 130m in debt, and start playing in pink, sounds like a plan | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 07:41 - Sep 16 with 3936 views | ItchySphincter |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 02:54 - Sep 16 by DwightYorkeSuperstar | Any investment group big enough to buy us would undertake substantial research regarding the history of the club, the volatility of the fanbase and the current major shareholders. That would probably be enough to put most off. They know they'd never get the majority of the shares without offering silly money to Huw and co. I fully believe Huw and co could sell but like I said, it'd have to be silly amounts of money and no one would offer that. |
The Trust and the council stadium make us far from an attractive proposition for investors too. It'll be a sad day when Huw and co run out off puff but it will happen one day but I'd rather get relegated than see the club become the train set of some greasy foreign billionaire. | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 08:14 - Sep 16 with 3858 views | whiterock | As someone has already said on another thread, we could become mini versions of Chelsea or Man City or end up like Portsmouth, Leeds and dare i say it Cardiff.... no thanks Swansea may be doing it the difficult way - but it's more noble and far more satisfying | | | | Login to get fewer ads
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 08:21 - Sep 16 with 3840 views | Private_Partz |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 02:17 - Sep 16 by phact0rri | Don't sell Swansea short... I'd wager there is some money in being the Welsh standard in football... yes were no london beacon of the world. But I'd be one to say that not only can it bring money to the club, but it can also lift Swansea City as a... City. |
I agree. The benefits to the city of having a top 6 established Premier club would be enormous. When you look at what various buyers have shelled it for other clubs then we should be a bargain. A smaller stadium with 20k crowds should really not be an issue. Ideally an investor with a 49% holding would be the best option but unlikely as they would probably want complete control. If big money came in the Board could be risking losing a personal fortune if they chose not to sell. I have mixed feelings on it, it could make us and it could lead to our downfall if some megalomaniac nutter takes over. I am on the fence on this one but tend to favour the status quo. | |
| You have mission in life to hold out your hand,
To help the other guy out,
Help your fellow man.
Stan Ridgway
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 08:50 - Sep 16 with 3779 views | Spokenword | I've often thought this, I'm sure it all comes down to our location mainly. Swansea is hardly a Millionaires playground though. We got huge potential with our catchment area, especially if investment brings success. | | | |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 09:01 - Sep 16 with 3751 views | hammy | If we are to become a so-called top 6 club then the funding needs to be given some serious thought. We could go the route of Chelski and Man Citeh, but probably on a smaller scale, with a buy out by a billionaire type, but that would be so far off beam with the current ownership and fans that it is unlikely to happen anytime soon. Sponsorship is another route and I'm sure that we can get improved deals year on year, but unlikely to approach the deals given to the current top 4 unless we can get regular success on the field. A third way might be to extend the current shareholding to fans and other investors to generate some additional funds to get us to the next level (i.e., regular top 10 finish, although we might be quite close to this anyway). There is probably a combination of all of the above to be considered and as we continue to compete from a debt-free position with the PL then I'm sure that various opportunities will present themselves. | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 09:29 - Sep 16 with 3695 views | Uxbridge | We're already a very attractive proposition for foreign interest. What solvent, stable, debt-free, solid mid-table outfit wouldn't be. I find it difficult to think of circumstances I'd welcome investment. Being realistic we're near the top of what we can achieve without hundreds of millions of pounds being poured into the club. And for what ... so we can get some slightly better players? For me, Swansea City wouldn't be the same if we lost our identity. I'd enjoy that scenario far less than us achieving what we are now in the manner we already are. | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 09:34 - Sep 16 with 3680 views | Bloodyhills | I would loath to give control of our club to some rich dudes only interested in a profit rather than the well being of the club. | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 09:47 - Sep 16 with 3637 views | Starsky |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 09:29 - Sep 16 by Uxbridge | We're already a very attractive proposition for foreign interest. What solvent, stable, debt-free, solid mid-table outfit wouldn't be. I find it difficult to think of circumstances I'd welcome investment. Being realistic we're near the top of what we can achieve without hundreds of millions of pounds being poured into the club. And for what ... so we can get some slightly better players? For me, Swansea City wouldn't be the same if we lost our identity. I'd enjoy that scenario far less than us achieving what we are now in the manner we already are. |
This for me. Also, a hypothetical question for Phil and anyone else reading this that are involved with the supporters trust... If some foreign investors were looking to buy a Premier league club similar to our size/potential. They approach Swansea City and the board were looking to sell. Would they be put off by the current shareholding held by the trust? Particularly if the trust didn't want them? Or don't we have enough shareholding to worry them, or do we? I mean, would they possibly think "too much hassle having to deal with the trust, let's buy some other team without a supporters trust." Just interested. [Post edited 16 Sep 2014 9:49]
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 10:02 - Sep 16 with 3604 views | ItchySphincter | Like I already said I think the trust would be a huge turn off, thank God. Plus the fact that besides the training facilities we have no real assets. | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 10:05 - Sep 16 with 3594 views | Starsky |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 10:02 - Sep 16 by ItchySphincter | Like I already said I think the trust would be a huge turn off, thank God. Plus the fact that besides the training facilities we have no real assets. |
I suppose the main asset is the sky money income | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 10:11 - Sep 16 with 3574 views | Spratty |
Great to see shows the diminishing marginal returns of some of the big buys. A big factor in that is the players we have had for years who have so impressively grown with the club. Of course only a rough tool as it does not include the cost of loans, or the big signing on fees and favourable contracts that "free" transfers involve. However none of that could take us anywhere near the big boys. In fact we are in some ways in a really good position where there are a lot of decent players and only a limited number of vacancies at the "bigger" clubs. Especially as the PL is so desirable, we sit just below them and can mop up those with top PL aspirations as well as some of those just dropping down or fed up of not getting playing time. | | | |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 10:49 - Sep 16 with 3508 views | Uxbridge |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 09:47 - Sep 16 by Starsky | This for me. Also, a hypothetical question for Phil and anyone else reading this that are involved with the supporters trust... If some foreign investors were looking to buy a Premier league club similar to our size/potential. They approach Swansea City and the board were looking to sell. Would they be put off by the current shareholding held by the trust? Particularly if the trust didn't want them? Or don't we have enough shareholding to worry them, or do we? I mean, would they possibly think "too much hassle having to deal with the trust, let's buy some other team without a supporters trust." Just interested. [Post edited 16 Sep 2014 9:49]
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A decision to sell would ultimately be decided by the Trust members, although speaking for myself I can't envisage a scenario where would look or recommend to sell. If the Trust position remains unchanged, then will this put off prospective buyers? Possibly. Certainly makes us less attractive as even though not at the 25% threshold, the Trust cannot be compelled to sell and does mean the Trust can be a sharp stick to make things difficult. A lot would also depend on whether all the others would want to sell. | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 11:15 - Sep 16 with 3469 views | johnlangy |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 10:05 - Sep 16 by Starsky | I suppose the main asset is the sky money income |
Yes. An £80 million per annum asset. | | | |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 11:20 - Sep 16 with 3458 views | johnlangy | At the moment we are competing to be 'best of the rest' according to the bookmakers. The top 7 are almost set in stone so we are aiming for 8th at best. To go better than that would require an investment in players of maybe £100 million by some billionaire Sheik who has no real connection with the Club (some one like Tan). Which would mean £100 million debt. And if it worked we may end up 7th, 6th or maybe 5th. Not for me. Just not worth it. | | | |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 11:27 - Sep 16 with 3447 views | Catullus | I keep going through the pro's and cons, and a lot needs to be guaranteed before I'd be happy with a billionaire buy out. And like others, I think the trust and the fact we don't own the stadium is a put off to potential buyers. I don't think the small capacity is an issue. If someone can afford to buy the club, surely they can afford the money to expand? Right, the guarantees, 1, Any money invested in the club is not put down as a loan to the club. 2, That we would keep on doing things our way, just with more money. I wouldn't want to see everything change and have stupid money spent when our way is working fairly well. 3, The trust remains, part of our success is based on accountability, having a voice and a rep at board meetings so nothing underhand can take place. 4, No big decisions are taken unilaterally, the trust is always involved. 5, No asset stripping, selling for a quick profit or price rises above inflation. Whoever comes in, is in for the long haul. And if those guarantees were needed, I don't see anybody wanting to buy. Quite honestly, there aren't many people I can think of who I'd like to come in. Looking at those who have taken over Premier clubs, only the Citeh sheik and John Henry at Liverpool are what I'll call "proper investors" as in, they are spending big, improving the club across the board and not in it for a quick profit, people like that are very rare. And a John Henry would be preferred as he has kept the identity of the club too. The Mancs I think of as a plaything for a mega rich, bored businessman. maybe that's not fair, but it's my opinion. Ideally, we would buy the stadium ourselves, secure an investment for a large stake in the club and continue to trade without racking up any huge debts. The best thing, in my eyes, would be for the trust to have 25%, for the current board to keep 26% and a new investor to have 49%. Highly unlikely, but it would mean nothing major could be done without at least one section of genuine fans having an input. But an ideal buy out scenario, from our point of view, is never going to happen. Anybody with the money to buy, will want full control. And like many others, I would rather stay as we are than risk doing a Cardiff, Leeds or Portsmouth. We will, in all probability, get relegated one day. Hopefully not for a while. And hopefully, we will be strong enough to come back up without any major spending. | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 11:42 - Sep 16 with 3405 views | headcleaner | there is never a guarentee with super rich investors you only have to look at Venkys and cardiff to see its not quite as easy as just throwing money at something. I think we are a very attractive prop at the moment and have been for some time and I'm sure if the club put out feelers it would turn up some big hitters but on the other side you have to look at the likes of Tan or Man city or Chelski to see the biggest problem would be control. These guys want it all in exchange for their money and would the gamble be worth it? We can already attract 13 - 15 million pound players which is as much as a lot bigger sides can do. Will we ever be able to buy a di maria probably not but then what sides can? only the super elite mega rich clubs imho and as much as we'd all like to challenge for the title and win cups domestically and in europe it's not all about doing it with cash. Ego and control would be the biggest stumbling block for us internally and externally but never say never who'd have thought we'd have taken 40K to Wembley and win cups and play in the prem as well as we are. | | | |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 11:50 - Sep 16 with 3389 views | ScoobyWho |
Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 11:27 - Sep 16 by Catullus | I keep going through the pro's and cons, and a lot needs to be guaranteed before I'd be happy with a billionaire buy out. And like others, I think the trust and the fact we don't own the stadium is a put off to potential buyers. I don't think the small capacity is an issue. If someone can afford to buy the club, surely they can afford the money to expand? Right, the guarantees, 1, Any money invested in the club is not put down as a loan to the club. 2, That we would keep on doing things our way, just with more money. I wouldn't want to see everything change and have stupid money spent when our way is working fairly well. 3, The trust remains, part of our success is based on accountability, having a voice and a rep at board meetings so nothing underhand can take place. 4, No big decisions are taken unilaterally, the trust is always involved. 5, No asset stripping, selling for a quick profit or price rises above inflation. Whoever comes in, is in for the long haul. And if those guarantees were needed, I don't see anybody wanting to buy. Quite honestly, there aren't many people I can think of who I'd like to come in. Looking at those who have taken over Premier clubs, only the Citeh sheik and John Henry at Liverpool are what I'll call "proper investors" as in, they are spending big, improving the club across the board and not in it for a quick profit, people like that are very rare. And a John Henry would be preferred as he has kept the identity of the club too. The Mancs I think of as a plaything for a mega rich, bored businessman. maybe that's not fair, but it's my opinion. Ideally, we would buy the stadium ourselves, secure an investment for a large stake in the club and continue to trade without racking up any huge debts. The best thing, in my eyes, would be for the trust to have 25%, for the current board to keep 26% and a new investor to have 49%. Highly unlikely, but it would mean nothing major could be done without at least one section of genuine fans having an input. But an ideal buy out scenario, from our point of view, is never going to happen. Anybody with the money to buy, will want full control. And like many others, I would rather stay as we are than risk doing a Cardiff, Leeds or Portsmouth. We will, in all probability, get relegated one day. Hopefully not for a while. And hopefully, we will be strong enough to come back up without any major spending. |
Very well thought out, worth the time to read. Nice one. | |
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Swansea FC attractive to some Big Investors on 14:08 - Sep 16 with 3209 views | DwightYorkeSuperstar | I'd welcome investment towards putting another 5,000 seats or so in the stadium and in return the investment company gets the ticket revenue from any number of seats over the current 20,500 sold each week - or something similar along those lines. Anything regarding selling shares to an outsider concerns me. | |
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